Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-03
ROW OVsR the PRESIDENT.
Tho Question who shall welcome
Him tn st. Louis Stfrs UD Strife,

A 81 Louis special says: While the PEG.
ole Of st. Louis are expecting TO see the
President and his wife this fall, the con.
mitteCECn OF the Grand Army OF the Re-
public ale having merry war over the IN
Nitaiion. and serious doubts exist rs 10
whether the President will come. Toe idea
oi iLviiing Mr., Cleveland Originated with
wclhknovu citizens OF st. Louis, aud they
suggested the matter 10 the local Grand
Army Committee Of Arrangements. The idea
. met With favor. and the committee urged
the citizens 10 20 ahead aud, II possible,
ret the President here. After the matter
bad beer considvTcd, the Grand Army Elk
ocuiiye Committee sent the President and
iis wife formal Invitation. to which the
President has not vet responded. T. was
Their thought that it would be a good pl1u
for the people 81 -. Louis TO extend an in.
yitaii0D, ard a monster invitation. signed
by 10000 citizens. and bound In book form,
was prepared, and delegation. with Mayor
Francis, Weut 10 WASHINGTON last week and
presented it 10 the President. receiving in
return assurances that the President would
visit st. Louis.
While all this was going on, however,
maicOnients were AT work. There are
many persons in the Grand Army who do
not want the President to come to the
national onCampmcni. They think his pres
ence here will be very embarrassing. They
aIe coming here with resolutions aud
speeches censuriDg the President for hiS
veto Of the big pension bill, and they wOui
feel fIr mole comfortable il Cleyelnd
would stay away. This element in the
Grsnd Army kicked when they learned
tbst the President his been invited,
but con>olcd themselves with the idea
that he might not accept the invitltion.
Their kicking increased in violence when
they learned that the President would sure
ly cCme. They wrote letters and sent re.
prest uiG'Ncs 10 the Executive and Man.
aging Committees, and otherwise brought
such pressure TO bear thit the lives OF the
poor committeeman were miserable, and
they east about them for a way out Of the
whole. They saw only one way. They
sad The President had not done them the
poor courtesy TO reply to their invitation,
but, on tie contrary, had accepted the citi.
ztns' invitation. Hence they would have
nothing To do with his visit
At this local Democratic club, the Hen
dricks Club, cane to the front and proposed
10 DO the hoDOIs. This made the major ty
OF The local Grand Army members angry.
a., aside from the committee, the city
Grand Army boys want the President a.
then guest. They insist that they viii re-
ctive the President and entertain him, and
there is where The hitch is.
General ID. +. Grier says; " The Grand
Army Executive Com1iltlee will have all IL
can attend to without providing foi the re-
ceplion Of the President. As chairman OF
the committee will say that IL is prOper
and night that The citizens, irrespective OF
the Grand ARMY, should receive hIm. The
Grand Army Of the Replbhc sent him an
invitation, but they nave never received
any reply. Nov the Pr sdent has accepted
an invitation extended him by Mavor Fran
els. lie has not accepted the invitation OF
the GIand Army, and ia view OF these
facts think 1t would be presumptuOu> on
the part Of the Grand Army to step in aud
say the President Is our guest. ADJ 10
favor Of Mayor Francis appointing Com
miitee Of Arrangements for the reception Of
The city's guest"